
- July 6, 2024
- By: Andrew Olsen
- in: DIY Projects
Hobbies. Those special activities we do often for pleasure, that often bring a certain reward. Most of us have one hobby we cherish, some of us collect hobbies like fridge magnets. All of us agree there’s no better way to spend an afternoon you have all to yourself.
If you’re after a new hobby, one that strikes a brilliant balance between pleasure and reward—lasting reward—is furniture making. Just the thought of crafting a piece of furniture that becomes an essential part of your daily life is enough to have us racing to the local hardware store.
Maybe you’re already ahead of us. Maybe you’ve eyed-off the perfect MDF boards for that cabinet you’ve always wanted to build. Either way, you have to start things right. And to help you do just that, here’s a guide to furniture making for beginners.
Your excitement levels will spike when you start a new hobby, there’s no getting around it. The best you can do is regulate this excitement. A good way to temper all this extra enthusiasm is to make a list of all the safety equipment you need before you start. Of course, your brash, mischievous side will demand you dive headfirst into building that coffee table, to hell with safety.
No. Getting things like goggles, gloves, and brightly coloured will help keep you safe, along with any friends or family who curiously stop by to see how you’re getting on. As a beginner, the mistakes will arrive on cue, trust us. Unlike a hobby such as life drawing, where the consequence is no more than dirty hands or a spoiled picture, the punishment for one false move in furniture making can be painful, and permanent. Take the time to protect yourself.
This is a guide, not an itinerary. Which means, there are no rules about what you get next. Unless you’re looking to craft a very particular item, like a reclaimed wood coffee table – which honestly is a great beginner’s project. But for this guide, we’re gonna stick with good, old-fashioned wood.
We chose wood next as this decision might take a little longer than anything else in this guide. Why? We blame taste. You can hone your skills with any piece of wood, but that perfect coffee table floating around in your imagination demands the perfect piece of wood. Beautiful and reliable hardwood is sought-after, so you might need to order in advance. And as we mentioned, you also always have the option of securing composite wood materials like MDF, particle board, and some plywood. These unique materials can provide uniform textures that are great for beginners to work with.
Taste aside, it’s worth getting to know which types of wood suit where you live. There are no rules around this, but understanding aspects like wood durability could prove vital if you live somewhere with a distinct climate, like Cairns or Broken Hill.
Choosing the perfect piece of wood is all about the final product. Choosing the right tools ensures you achieve the final product. And unlike a natural product like wood, any good hardware store will stock exactly what you need to get started.
The trick here is not to cut corners. There’s little to gain by choosing not to buy a marking knife only to find it makes your work far easier and far more accurate. A beginner’s toolkit is an investment, and though it might seem excessive, there’s nothing here you won’t find useful – from hammers, to nail guns, wrench sets and perhaps even sanding or buffing tools.
When in doubt, speak to a professional at your local hardware store, as there’s plenty to consider. Tools for layout, tools for joinery, tools for shaping and smoothing, the list goes on. And, the better you get at furniture making, the bigger your collection will grow.
Pro tip: if you’re uncertain what tools you’re likely to need in your workshop at this preliminary phase, why not consider hiring tools like sanders and other more specialty machinery online?
Though this is the last part of our guide, there’s a good chance this was the first thing you considered. Scouting the ideal workspace is critical if you want your hobby to blossom. And once you’ve settled on that nook, the next step is to set it up so you can blossom.
A work bench that rests at your height, shelves within your reach, and a durable toolkit are just a few essential items to create the ultimate workspace. Like with your tools, it’s important to get everything you need to properly get started, otherwise you risk an interrupted and frustrating start to your hobby.
A little foresight never hurts either. As your skillset grows, it’s likely your desire for a bigger, better workspace will too. Considering a space that has room to grow will save the headache of a complete relocation.
We hope this guide continues to stoke the fire you have to start a new hobby. It’s often easy to extinguish that initial flame once you realise the time and effort that’s involved. And furniture making is something that takes time and effort. This you can’t avoid.
But it’s tremendously rewarding, if you stick it out. Enjoying your own creations every day is feeling like no other. With patience and persistence, it’s a hobby you can enjoy for years to come.
Post a Comment